Compounds of the general formula (i) wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are the same or different and are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, halogen, carbomethoxy, alkoxy and alkanoyl have been disclosed in e.g. European patent No. 0005 129 as useful therapeutical compounds. One of these compounds, known under the generic name omeprazole (R.sup.1 =5-OCH.sub.3, R.sup.2 =H) ##STR2## is being developed as a gastric acid secretion inhibiting drug. It can also be used for providing gastrointestinal cytoprotective effects in mammals and man.
It is important to obtain simple and efficient intermediates and routes of synthesis for omeprazole and, in a more general sense, for therapeutically active compounds such as benzimidazole derivatives containing the pyridylmethyl moiety ##STR3##
The present invention provides novel compounds which are useful as intermediates in the preparation of therapeutically active comounds such as benzimidazole derivatives which contain a pyridylmethyl radical of the formula (ii), and methods for the preparation of such compounds.